Hello, my name is anika

10. Forgotten

Hi!

How's it going?

Oh, yeah. I'm fine.

Yesterday was so fun. Expecially when you tried to charade how to get out of jail and I ended up paying 500 instead of 50.

What? No, that was totally a fair trade.

Well, the best part was definitely when -

okay fine, yes, that was the best.

Orchestra?

Yeah, I totally practiced. Like I could do anything without my aunt sc- without lugging my instrument home.

Without my aunt.. whatever. Just forget it.

In the window? It was a tissue.

Fine. It was a mask. A stupid doctor's mask my germophobic aunt forced me to wear.

Happy now?!

Don't tell me I should have told you. It was hard even telling you now.

...

She's just been making me wear it, what's the problem with that?

She just doesn't want to... get whatever I have. She doesn't want to die.

Shoot. Orchestra's starting. Write whatever you're going to say in here.

That's... I can't even... that's terrible.

I know. But who care-

I care!!! How could you ever think I wouldn't! You're my best friend.

I-that's so nice of you to say. I'm speechless. I-it's so nice that someone cares about me, since... since my aunt... well, doesn't seem to care.

That..

Oh no, the teacher's coming

She speaks for me.

__________________________

^actually this is basically our relationship in a nutshell now that i think of it.

Yes, of course I can speak. I just don't want to.. you know.

Well, I was mad. I was so mad that I didn't care. I haven't been that mad since... a while.

How could she do that? I'm still furious. Would she take away someone's private diary? Would she eavesdrop on everyone's conversations?

Would she even think about ripping someone's voice from them?

No. And yet she ripped this away without a thought.

Like my aunt ripped this away without a thought.

I know. I have to speak out against her. But how on earth can I speak up if I can't speak?

Thank you. You don't know how much of a weight you've lifted off my shoulders right now.

And about the thing you said? About us being best friends?

... you're welcome, although I'm not sure I should get the credit for that.

And one more thing?

Can I get your email? I want to talk to you during the holidays and do something other than slip into a 24/7 reading coma.

rileyvaundeville@gmail.com

Thanks. It's coming up fast, barely a week or something like that. Gotta stock up on series to last me through.

Yeah. I know I'm going to be okay. But thanks.

___________________________________

HI, Im back.

School was okay today, i guess

I'm going to read.

______

Mom? Dad?

I think... I actually think someday, I'll stop this. I'll rise up.

Me and Riley.

Today, she stood up for me for the second time.

It was uplifting.

One day, we're going to do this.

We will triumph.

I will be free.

But what will become of me, from then on?

Will I go to the orphanage?

Is this life better than one I could have out of her clutches?

Or is someone's clutches better than nobody's?